PMC proposes to pay extra for road work done 6 years ago

Six years after three roads were constructed by a private contractor,Pune Municipal Corporation administration has proposed that the contractor be given additional expenditure for the work as the prices of tar,cement and steel increased during the period of contract resulting in high construction cost.

Six years after three roads were constructed by a private contractor,Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration has proposed that the contractor be given additional expenditure for the work as the prices of tar,cement and steel increased during the period of contract resulting in high construction cost.

In its integrated road development plan (IRDP),the PMC undertook construction of 60 feet road in Dattawadi as per the development plan. It had floated a tender of Rs 3.14 crore for the work and awarded the contract for the lowest bid of Rs 4.24 crore to J P Enterprises in 2006.

The same contractor was given two more assignments of constructing Sainagar to Sinhagad Road and development of Lal Bahadur Shastri Road. The Sainagar to Sinhagad Road was estimated to cost Rs 1.22 crore as per administration but the lowest bid was Rs 1.51 crore. The Lal Bahadur Shastri Road was estimated to cost Rs 4.54 crore and the contract of the lowest bid was Rs 5.99 crore given to J P Enterprises.

There was a clause in the contract that if the prices of construction material increases,additional expenses should be paid to the contractor, said Additional Municipal Commissioner Naresh Zurmure.

However,the proposals do not mention the amount of additional expenditure incurred in the construction of the three roads. A similar proposal was tabled by a corporator for paying additional expenses for a nullah work in Ahmendnagar Road area. However,it received a lot of criticism and the proposal was withdrawn later.

Opposition parties in PMC have decided to take on the administration and ruling alliance over the issue. We will not allow the administration and ruling party to work in the interest of contractors, said MNS leader Ravindra Dhangekar. If this practice comes into existence,all the contractors would start claiming additional expenditure even after the work is completed long time ago,he added.